%20scale(.87)'%3e%3cg%20transform='rotate(-3%2032%2034)'%3e%3cpath%20d='M10.5%2019.5c7.65-2.35%2014.8-.45%2021.5%205.7%206.7-6.15%2013.85-8.05%2021.5-5.7v27.2c-7.65-2.15-14.8-.45-21.5%205.1-6.7-5.55-13.85-7.25-21.5-5.1V19.5Z'%20fill='%23fff'%20stroke='%23171528'%20stroke-width='4.5'%20stroke-linejoin='round'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M32%2025.2v26.6'%20stroke='%23171528'%20stroke-width='4'%20stroke-linecap='round'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M17.5%2034.5h9M22%2030v9'%20stroke='%23171528'%20stroke-width='3.75'%20stroke-linecap='round'/%3e%3ccircle%20cx='41.5'%20cy='32.5'%20r='2.5'%20fill='%23171528'/%3e%3ccircle%20cx='46.5'%20cy='38'%20r='2.5'%20fill='%23171528'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
On this page
Start with a question from your reading
Use the converter for a quick answer, or explore one measurement in more detail. Each guide keeps the chosen estimate visible and connects the result with its biblical setting.
Length: cubits, spans, and handbreadths
Start with the 18-inch cubit model to compare lengths. In this model, a span is half a cubit and a handbreadth is one sixth of a cubit. The cubit converter also lets you compare other length estimates.
| Unit | Relationship in this model | Approximate equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Cubit | 6 handbreadths | 18 in · 1.5 ft · 45.72 cm |
| Span | ½ cubit | 9 in · 22.86 cm |
| Handbreadth | ⅙ cubit | 3 in · 7.62 cm |
Weight: shekels, minas, and talents
These estimates use a Hebrew weight model with a shekel of 11.5 grams. The mina and talent values below are derived from that same baseline. For the meaning of a talent in a particular passage, continue to the talent guide.
Dry measures: ephahs, omers, and homers
Dry measures describe capacity, such as the amount of grain a container holds. The default model uses 22 liters for an ephah. An omer and a homer have similar English spellings but very different sizes.
| Unit | Relationship in this model | Approximate equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Ephah | 10 omers | 22 L |
| Omer | ⅒ ephah | 2.2 L |
| Homer | 10 ephahs | 220 L |
Liters do not tell you how much grain weighs. The weight also depends on the grain and how tightly it fills the container.
Liquid measures: baths, hins, and logs
The liquid-capacity model uses a 22-liter bath. Smaller units are derived from the relationships below. Any gallons shown in the converter are US liquid gallons.
Put the measurements back into the story
In Genesis 6:15, the Ark’s length, width, and height appear together. In Ruth 2:17, Ruth’s gathering is described using an ephah. A measurement becomes more useful when you can connect it with what is happening in the passage.
Why the estimates can differ
A modern conversion needs a chosen starting point. This tool uses one stated baseline for each category and derives related values from it. That keeps calculations consistent without treating the baseline as an exact measurement from every biblical period.
A source may print a talent as about 34 kilograms while the model here produces 34.5 kilograms. The difference reflects the baseline and rounding. More digits in a calculator do not make an ancient estimate more certain.
Common questions
Are biblical measurements exact?
The modern equivalents are estimates. A result can be calculated consistently from a chosen model even when the historical size of the unit remains uncertain. Keep the selected standard with any result you copy or share.
How much is an ephah, and how is an omer different?
In this tool, one ephah is approximately 22 liters and an omer is one tenth of that: approximately 2.2 liters. These are measures of capacity. Their weight depends on what fills the container.
Can I convert an ephah of barley into kilograms?
A capacity alone does not determine a weight. You would also need the density of the grain and information about how it was packed. This converter therefore keeps capacity and weight in separate categories.
Why can two Bible reference tables give different answers?
They may use different historical estimates or round their results differently. This tool states its base units and derives related units from those same values, so its own results remain consistent.
Sources and calculation notes
- Tyndale and Zondervan: Life Application Study Bible, Table of Weights & MeasuresPrinted page 2249. The baseline values used here are 18 inches per cubit, 11.5 grams per shekel, and 22 liters per ephah. Related units are calculated from those baselines instead of copying independently rounded equivalents.
- American Bible Society: Weights and Measures in Ancient IsraelBackground on historical variation, body-based measures, and the relationship between the units.
- ESV Global Study Bible: Table of Weights and MeasuresA comparison reference. Its rounded modern equivalents may differ from the derived values displayed by this tool.